1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for reducing the rate of flow of groundwater directly beneath a specific land area.
The present invention relates to a groundwater flow diversion system comprised of one or more low-resistance hydraulic conduits. The invention relates to lowresistance hydraulic conduits connecting collection and discharge sites located substantially around a circumference of a specific land area and place to provide hydraulic flow and equalization of groundwater potentials within the subject area.
2. Description of Prior Art
Groundwater flow may carry with it dissolved material which may be contaminants to downstream water supply. Also, groundwater passing beneath a contaminated area of land may become contaminated with leachate from the contaminated site and may consequently pollute water supplies and/or land property located downstream of the contamination site. Land fills, for instance, may generate highly polluted leachate which percolates into the groundwater and is carried beyond the land fill site to pollute land areas downstream of the land fill. It is desirable, therefore, to process the contaminated groundwater for managed removal and treatment of contaminants, or to isolate the contaminated land area from normal groundwater flow.
The prior art discloses expensive methods for sealing groundwater flow from the contaminated sites. One prior art method for isolating the contaminated area is by a construction of low-permeability barrier which effectively prevents passage of groundwater from the contaminated land site. These constructions involve much expense of materials and labor and are subject to possible degradation or disruption with the probability of unkown leakage. It also is impossible to provide such a barrier below exsting contaminated deposits without first physically removing the contaminated deposits. Another prior art system involves the placement of a horizontal barrier beneath an area designated to receive contaminants.
The present invention has overcome these disadvantages of the prior art by the placement of a permeable low-hydraulic resistance conduit into the groundwater surrounding the contaminated area. The placement of a permeable conduit system around a contaminated land area has been found to provide a comparatively simple and economical means for altering the route and rate of flow of groundwater passing beneath the contaminated area. The system of the invention has a further effect of containing the contaminated groundwater immediately below the contaminated site so that, essentially, contaminated water cannot escape from the site, is retained for possible withdrawal and treatment, and is less likely to pollute downstream property and downstream water supplies.